[PDF] here - Columbia University Department of Classics

28845_1Undergraduate_handbook_18_19_1.pdf 2018-2019
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Introduction

Since the Columbia and Barnard departments of Classics offer a complete sequence of courses in ancient Greek and Latin, a variety of courses on ancient civilization and literature in translation, a three-tier sequence in Modern Greek, and a variety of different major, minor, and concentration options, the choices available may seem daunting. We hope that this short guide will help you make the selections that are right for you. In addition to this guide, there are many people who will be happy to help you: Prof. Katharina Volk, the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Classics and Ancient Studies at Columbia (kv2018@columbia.edu ) ; the Staff in the Classics office; Prof. Kristina Milnor, the Barnard Classics Chair; and the other members of both departments. You can also obtain the most up-to-date information from the Columbia and Barnard bulletins and web sites, and from our own website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/classics/

Columbia and GS students can choose to major in

Classics, Classical

Studies, or Ancient Studies, and Barnard students may choose from Greek, Latin, or Ancient Studies. More information on these majors, as well as on our concentration/minor, can be found below.

Courses

Although the major requirements at Columbia and Barnard differ, the Classics departments on either side of Broadway function basically as one, and the curriculum is jointly planned and taught. Advanced graduate students with previous training in Classics instruction teach some of the elementary and intermediate courses under the supervision of a faculty member; all courses at the 3000 level and above are taught by faculty. Our faculty members are dedicated to teaching undergraduates and are eager to help students discover the joys of the classical world for themselves; we are also proud of the quality of our graduate student teachers. 3 Elementary and intermediate courses here are not "baby" courses, and in both Latin and Greek, students read real ancient literature rather than watered-down or rewritten texts. Greek students, for example, begin Plato in their second semester and read Homer in their fourth semester. Placement tests are offered each year to assist Columbia students who enter with prior knowledge of Latin in finding an appropriate course; Barnard students should see the Barnard classicists for placement advice. The purpose of these tests is not to constrain students to work at a specific level, and those who feel that they have been placed too low may always attempt a more advanced course; at the same time students are reminded that it is not necessarily in their best interests to attempt a class which is too advanced for them. Students who enter with scores of 5 on the Latin AP examination have fulfilled the Columbia language requirement and may register for courses at the 3000 level without taking the placement tests, though they may want to consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies about suitable courses. Students with prior background in Greek should see the Director of Undergraduate Studies for placement.

Language and Literature Courses

The course numbers below are used for

both Greek and Latin, except as noted. Please consult the Columbia and Barnard catalogues for full descriptions of all courses. 1101
-

2: Introductory language course in TWO semesters. This is the

normal course taken by those beginning a language not previously studied; it covers all the basic grammar and gives some practice reading easy texts.

1121: This one-semester course is the equivalent of both 1101 and 1102;

it covers all the basic grammar in one semester and enables the participants to take courses at the 2100 level the following semester. This opti on is very effective for those who are highly committed to Classics and want to begin reading literature as soon as possible; it is also time- saving for those who begin languages late in their college careers, and in 4 Greek it is a good option for those with some prior background but not enough to take courses at the 2100 level. The designation "intensive" is significant, however: you should be prepared to make a substantial time commitment if you take one of these courses. 2101
-

2: This sequence provides intermediate language training in both

prose and poetry. The completion of 2102 satisfies the language requirement.

3012 (Latin only): This is the fifth-semester Latin course and the

beginning of the Latin literature sequence. It is highly recommended for incoming first year students who have had enough Latin to place out of 21
01 -

2 or for those who have completed the intermediate sequence here.

3013 (Latin only): This course is designed as a sequel or alternative to

3012 and aims to sharpen translation skills by concentrating on classical

Latin prose.

3309, 3310, 4009, 4010: These

advanced literature courses are offered annually with changes in subject matter, so that students will have a chance to read as many representative authors as possible.

Courses at the 4000 level are not

necessarily more difficult than those at the 3000 level when taken by undergraduates; the significance of the designation is that graduate students as well as undergraduates may take 4000 level courses, but in many cases undergraduates and graduates will not be given the same workload in these courses. Students who are in doubt about the level of a specific class should consult the instructor.

3033, 4152 (Latin only): These courses constitute the sequence in

medieval Latin; in mos t years both will be offered. 5

3996: The major seminar is intended f

or senior majors in Classics,

Classical Studies,

and Ancient Studies but is also open to juniors. The course considers a different topic each year, analysing it across time periods, genres, and both languages. It focuses on honing skills that are useful for working on the senior thesis, such as how to frame a discussion topic, how to analyze a text philologically and thematically, and how to develop a bibliography. The course also provides upper-level students in Classics, Classical Studies, and Ancient Studies with an opportunity to get to know each other in a congenial and interactive environment. 4105
-

6: The literature surveys are designed to give advanced Classics

undergraduates and entering graduate students a grasp of the broader picture of Greek or Latin literature, as opposed to the more focused topics offered in other advanced courses. These classes stress that works of Classical literature were composed not in a vacuum but in a li terary and cultural context; only by understanding Classical literature as a whole can one really comprehend the role of any one work within that framework.

5139: This course focuses on enabling students to write, as well as read,

Greek and Latin.

It consists largely of an intensive review of grammar and syntax at an advanced level, with the translation of sentences or short paragraphs into the ancient languages. We are fortunate to have faculty members with expertise in Greek and Latin prose composition, a discipline not available at many institutions, and all students with the appropriate backgr ound (at least 4 terms of Latin/

Greek) are urged to

take advantage of this opportunity. Note: This is technically a graduate course, but undergraduates are welcome to enroll with the instructor's permission. 5139 replaces the old 4139; the content of the course remains the same. 6 Classical Civilization and Literature in Translation

These courses are designed for

both majors and non-majors and are ideal for students with no prior background in the ancient world, though they may also be of interest to more advanced students. Some, such as Classical Myth (3132), are normally offered every year; others are offered in rotation or once only.

Modern Greek

Although for administrative reasons the program in Modern Greek is attached to the Classics department, it is essentially a separate entity. Courses are offered at the elementary (1101-2), intermediate (2101-2), and advanced (3000) levels. Students interested in modern Greek should consult the Modern Greek Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Nikolas Kakkoufa (nk2776@columbia.edu), who will be delighted to give them further information on these programs.

Majoring in Classics

What can you do with a major in Classics? Anything! The Classics major, like other majors in Columbia and Barnard colleges, is not designed to be a pre-professional training, and while some of our students go on to become professional Classicists, most use the education they receive to help them succeed in a diverse range of fields unconnected with their major. Like students who major in other subjects, Classics majors become doctors, farmers, lawyers, writers, executives, chefs, teachers, social workers, politicians, entrepreneurs, and anything else they choose. The importance of an undergraduate education is primarily to train a student's mind to cope with the challenges it will meet later, and only secondarily to fill that mind with any particular set of facts. Since all major programs at Barna rd and Columbia have been designed to provide similar benefits, we believe that students should choose their fields of study based on their interests. For many people, the undergraduate years offer the only chance they ever have to explore the subjects that really 7 fascinate them, and we hope that every student at Columbia and Barnard will take full advantage of that opportunity. Having said that, we believe that the particular training offered by the Classics program will be more useful than most others when it comes to success later in life. Classics is a difficult subject, and students who have mastered Latin and Greek will find other intellectual challenges much less daunting than people who have never learned anything quite so difficult. Classics graduates know how to absorb large quantities of information quickly, retain it, and use it rapidly. They know how to analyze and interpret, to pay attention to details without losing track of the big picture, and to relate a work or event to its context. They have the kind of thorough understanding of grammar that only a training in Latin and Greek can give, and that understanding is reflected in the high quality of their English writing. Having been taught for four years in small classes by professors who know them as individuals and want them to succeed, they have received an education tailored to their own needs and goals. They also have the ability to read some of the world's greatest literature in its original form, and at times when the task of earning a living seems tedious and uninspiring, many Classics graduates are very glad to have access to the riches of ancient literature, as well as to the many later works which cannot be fully appreciated without a substantial background in the ancient world. In addition, on a crasser level, Classics degrees are highly respected by law schools, medical schools, and employers. The Classics major is designed for students who enter with no background in Latin or Greek, and it is possible for such students to complete t he major in four years even if they do not begin the languages until the sophomore year. Nevertheless, the program is much easier for those who begin the study of one language in their first year (taking the elementary courses in both languages simultaneously is not recommended). For those who have not taken language courses in their first year, a number of options are available, including the intensive elementary courses and summer language programs at this and other institutions. 8

Given the importance of

language training for this program, students who have some prior knowledge of either language are in an excellent position; depending on their background, they may be able to do substantial amounts of advanced work before graduation. Such students are urged to speak to the Director of Undergraduate Studies early in their college careers in order to make sure that they get the most out of what the departments have to offer them. The options for constructing a major are several, depending on the school with which you are affiliated, your particular interests, and - if you know them - your plans after college.

Columbia College and General Studies

The major is offered with two tracks, Classics and Classical Studies. The former, which is recommended for students considering graduate work in Classics, concentrates heavily on the ancient languages and literature; the latter includes more courses on other aspects of the ancient world. The Classics department also participates in the interdepartmental Ancient Studies major, which is designed for students whose interests encompass the ancient Mediterranean as a whole rather than the Greco- Roman world in particular. The Classics Concentration/Minor is earned in either Latin or Greek; there is also a Greek/Latin Minor for students of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Major in Classics

11 courses, minimum 34 credits

In the primary language:

Four courses at or above the 2100-level Major seminar 3996 Two courses from the Advanced Menu of four (4105, 4106, 5139, 3998; any others may count toward the four upper level requirement)

In the secondary language:

Two courses at or above the 2100 level

Two ancient culture courses, including:

One in the culture of the primary language 9 One in any aspect of ancient history or culture (HIST, AHIS, PHIL, CLLT, CLCV...) A student must write a thesis (3998) to be considered for Departmental Honors and prizes.

Major in Classical Studies

11 courses, minimum 35 credits

Five courses, at or above 1102, in either or both Latin and Greek Major Seminar 3996 Four classes in ancient history, art, philosophy, religion, civilization Senior thesis 3998

Major in Ancient Studies

12 courses, minimum 36 credits

Twelve

courses on the ancient Mediterranean, of which two must be the major seminar 3995 and senior thesis 3998, and all of which must collectively satisfy the following criteria: Language study: two courses of an ancient language at or above the intermediate level Fundamental breadth: two introductory courses on some aspect of the ancient Mediterranean (e.g. HIST W1010/1020, AHIS V3248/3250, PHIL V2101, CLLT

V3132)

Advanced study: two advanced courses on the ancient Mediterranean Cultural concentration: four courses on the culture of the language chosen, including one history course Interdisciplinarity: courses taught in three different departments

Concentration (CC) or Minor (GS) in Classics

7 courses, minimum 21 credits

Six courses in one classical language (Latin or Greek), of which Five courses above the 1100 level, three of which must be 3/4000 level One from the following three advanced options: 4105, 4106, 5139 One course in ancient history or classical civilization 10 Minor in Greek or Latin (School of Engineering and Applied Sciences)

13 points in the chosen language at the 2100-level or higher

3 points

in ancient history or classical civilization

Barnard

Major in Greek OR Latin

8 courses in one language (not counting courses at the 1100 level), including

• 3996 (major seminar), • 4105-6 (literature survey), and • 5139 (prose style) A senior thesis (3998) is recommended but not required; it may sometimes be substituted for one of the advanced courses (4105-6, 5139). Majors in Latin are strongly advised to take at least two semesters of Greek.

It is possible to major in both

Greek and Latin by completing the major requirements in one language and five courses (not counting those at the 1100 level) in the other.

Major in Ancient Studies

4 courses (including at least one history course) in one ancient Mediterranean culture;

The elementary sequence of a relevant ancient language;

Courses in at least three different departments;

Senior thesis or senior seminar

= 36 points total

Minor in Greek OR Latin

5 courses in one language (not counting courses at the 1100 level)

Barnard students may also major in Comparative Literature using Greek or Latin as one of their literatures. 11

Barnard/Columbia

Ancient Drama Group

One of the special features of our Classics

departments is the annual production of a

Greek or Latin play in the original

language. Though there is a faculty advisor, the director and actors of the play are students, primarily undergraduates. A high standard is achieved, both in linguistic terms and in the quality of the acting, and each year multiple performances are given to substantial audiences. Even first -year students in beginning Greek or Latin take part in these productions, which provide a valuable learning experience on a number of different levels. It is possible to acquire course credit for participation in the performance by reading the play with the faculty advisor as a directed reading (Greek

3997). For more information contact

Helene Foley

(216 Milbank, hf45@columbia.edu, 854-2852).

Prizes

We offer three prize competitions (Earle, Tatlock, and Romaine) in sight translation of Greek and Latin. These prizes are awarded on the basis of examinations given each spring and open to all Barnard and Columbia students. There are three big awards made to graduating Columbia College seniors: the Caverly Prize is awarded for outstanding performance by a Classics Major, usually as demonstrated through a senior thesis; the Stadler Prize is awarded for academic excellence through course work and the writing of a senior thesis on some aspect of the history or culture of the classical world; and Departmental Honors are awarded for overall outstanding 12 performance in Classics. General Studies students are eligible for General Studies Departmental Honors and some General Studies Prizes.

Barnard

students are eligible for the Day Prize, awarded to a sophomore outstanding in Classics.

Study Abroad (and Other Classics

-related

Activities outside Columbia)

Seeing the ancient sites and monuments is an important part of the study of antiquity, and there are a number of ways to acquire some familiarity with the physical remains of Greek and Roman civilization. The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome offers in each term an excellent one - semester program, usually taken in the junior year, and the College Year in Athens) offers a wide variety of courses ranging from language and literature to history, art, and archaeology. During the summer there are more options, including the outstanding Summer Sessions of the American School for Classical Studies in Athens and the Living Latin courses in Rome, Greece, and other locations of the Paideia Institute. A listing of fieldwork opportunities is published annually by the

Archaeological Institute of America.

Columbia runs its own archeological summer program at Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. For more information, contact Prof. Francesco de Angelis at fda2101@columbia.edu . Students wanting Columbia or Barnard credit for work done abroad should discuss their plans with the director of undergraduate studies at an early date to enable them to incorporate experience abroad most practically into their programs here. For those less inclined to travel, a wide variety of Classics-related activities is usually available here in New York. Famous Classicists often come to give lectures at Columbia or other universities in the area, and numerous conferences and symposia are held during the academic year. Announcements of these events are posted on or near the door of 617 13 Hamilton and on the calendar on the Departmental webpage. Students may also be interested in the activities sponsored by the New York Classical Club (which include translation and oral reading competitions offering significant amounts of prize money). Information on such opportunities is posted on the bulletin board opposite 614 Hamilton.

Preparation for Graduate Study

Students who are considering graduate work in Classics should be aware that because our Classics major is not a pre-professional degree, simply fulfilling the normal major requirements will not guarantee admission to a graduate program. By far the most important element in preparation for graduate school admission is a good command of both the Latin and the Greek languages, so students who wish to go to graduate school should attempt to reach the advanced level in both languages. The two courses at the intermediate level required in the secondary languag e for the Classics major are not enough for admission to most graduate programs, and the language requirements of both Classical Studies and Ancient Studies are well below the level normally necessary for graduate school admission. The importance of languages holds not only for students wishing to study ancient literature, but also for those interested primarily in other aspects of the ancient world (history, art, philosophy, religion, etc.), because it is not possible to pursue advanced research successfully unless one can make use of the primary sources. Students who have not done the requisite amount of language work and wish to go to graduate school can enroll in a post-baccalaureate program (either at Columbia or at another institution) to do one or two years of intensive language work before starting graduate school, so all is not lost if you realize in your senior year that you wish you had taken more language courses; a post - baccalaureate course is, however, considerably more expensive than making the right choices earlier. While knowledge of Latin and Greek is the most important factor in graduate school admission, it is by no means the only one. Students considering graduate work are also advised to write a senior thesis (and not to substitute the t hesis for any of the other advanced courses). They 14 should also be aware that most graduate programs require competence in

German and

French

or Italian, so taking the opportunity to acquire such competence will pay off in the long run. If possible, it is a good idea to use some of your summers (especially the one between junior and senior year) on a relevant activity such as archaeological fieldwork experience, travel and/or study in Greece or Italy, learning French or German, improving your Latin or Greek, or working as a research assistant for a Classicist. It is also useful to get high scores on the GRE test, and these are best achieved by obtaining and studying information on the types of questions asked on the test and taking practice tests.

The array

of graduate degrees on offer in the US and abroad can be bewildering - including master's and doctoral programs in Classics and a variety of related subjects - and the character and quality of graduate programs differs widely. It is therefore important to gather information and seek advice. If you are considering graduate work, you should discuss your plans with the Director of Undergraduate Studies and other faculty members no later than the beginning of the fall semester before you hope to apply (i.e., typically the fall of your senior year).

Faculty in and A

ssociated with the

Classics Department

Christopher Baswell (Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University and Anne Whitney Olin Professor of English, Barnard). B.A. Oberlin; Ph.D. Yale. Interests: Medieval literature and manuscript studies; Classical tradition; disability studies Richard Billows (Professor, History, Columbia). B.A. Oxford; Ph.D. Berkeley. Interests: Ancient Greek and Roman History and Greek epigraphy Francesco de Angelis (Associate Professor of Roman Art and Archaeology, Columbia). M.A. in Classics, University of Pisa, 1992; PhD in Classical Archaeology, Scuola Normale di Pisa, 2003. Interests: mythological images; monuments and cultural memory in antiquity; anci ent ekphrasis; architecture and function; Etruscan art. Kathy Eden (Chavkin Family Professor of English Literature and Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Smith 1974; Ph.D. Stanford 1980. Interests: ancient and Renaissance 15 literary theory; Renaissance Humanism; history of hermeneutics and the rhetorical tradition.

Marcus Folch

(Associate Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Cornell 2000; Ph.D. Stanford 2006. Interests: Greek Prose, Ancient Philosophy, Rhetoric; Theories and

Practices of Performance;

Genre; Gender; Punishment and Imprisonment.

Helene

Foley (Professor of Classics, Barnard). B.A. Swarthmore 1964; M.A. Yale 1967; Ph.D. Harvard 1975. Interests: Greek literature, especially epic, tragedy, and comedy; women and gender in Antiquity; and the reception of classical drama. Carmela Franklin (Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Radcliffe 1971; Ph.D. Harvard 1977. Interests: Medieval Latin literature; Transmission of texts and manuscript studies; Greek and Latin hagiography; Study of the Bible in the early

Middle Ages; Early medieval Rome; Bede.

Stathis Gourgouris

(Professor of Comparative Literature, English, and Hellenic Studies, Columbia). B.A. UCLA 1981; PhD in Comparative Literature, UCLA

1990. Interests: comparative literature (French, German, Ancient Greek, Modern

Greek); literary theory; poetics of modernity; secular criticism; ancient philosophy and political theory; contemporary music . Joseph Howley (Assistant Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. in Ancient Studies,

University of

Maryland Baltimore County 2006; M. Litt in Ancient History, St. Andrews

2007; PhD in Latin, St. Andrews 2011. Interests: Intellectual culture of the Roman

Empire and values of learning and knowledge more generally in antiquity, the interaction of Greek and Roman culture, processes of mediation in the Roman Imperial world, problems of miscellany and other quasi-literary forms, and the ancient and modern history of the book. Elizabeth Irwin (Associate Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Columbia 1991; B.A. Oxford 1994; Ph.D. Cambridge 1999. Interests: Herodotus; archaic Greek poetry and History; Greek tragedy; Literary and philosophical uses of historical figures in the

Platonic dialogues; Comedy.

Nikolas P. Kakkoufa

(Lecturer in Modern Greek, Columbia). B.A. University of Cyprus

2008; M.A. University of Cyprus 2010; Ph.D. King's College London 2015. Interests:

Modern Greek Literature & Culture; Comparative Literature (American, British, and

Modern Greek);

Aestheticism . Holger Klein (Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia). M.A. University of London (Courtauld Institute of Art) 1994; Ph.D., Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms- 16 Universität, Bonn, 2000. Interests: Late Antique and Byzantine art and architecture; cross -cultural exchange; cult of relics; material culture. Darcy Krasne (Lecturer in Classics, Columbia). B.A. Oxford 2002; M.A. Berkeley 2005; Ph.D. Berkeley 2011. Interests: Late Republican and early Imperial Latin poetry (especially Augustan and Flavian); Greek and Roman mythology; the epic tradition. John Ma (Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Oxford, 1991; D.Phil. Oxford, 1997. Interests: ancient history, especially Greek; Greek epigraphy; material culture; Hellenistic history; interaction between Greek world and ancient near east. Wolfgang Mann (Professor of Philosophy, Columbia). A.B. Princeton 1978; Ph.D.

Princeton 1986. Interests: ancient philosophy.

Paraskevi Martzavou (Lecturer in Classics, Columbia). B.A. Aristotle University, Thessaloniki 1992; DEA Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, 1998; Ph.D. Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, 2008. Interests: Ancient Greek history and archaeology, Roman Greece, religious history. Kristina Milnor (Tow Family Foundation Associate Professor of Classics, Barnard). B.A. Wesleyan 1992; Ph.D. University of Michigan 1998. Interests: Latin literature of the late Republic and early Empire; feminist theory; Roman social history. Ellen Morris (Assistant Professor of Classics, Barnard). B.A. Barbard 1991; Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania 2001. Interests: Ancient Egyptian imperialism; state formation and the early state; performances of power and sexuality; interplay of Egyptian data and anthropological theory; political fragmentation. Ioannis Mylonopoulos (Assistant Professor, Art History, Columbia). Ph.D. Ruprecht- Karls University, Heidelberg, 2001. Interests: Greek Art and Archaeology; Iconography of the divine in ancient Greece; Architectural development of Greek sanctuaries. Elizabeth Scharffenberger (Lecturer in Classics, Columbia). A.B. University of Chicago 1977; Ph.D. Columbia University 1988. Interests: Ancient Greek and Roman drama; comic literature (from antiquity to the present day); intellectual history; reception studies; translation studies; classics in translation. Seth Schwartz (Lucius N. Littauer Professor of Classical Jewish Civilization,Columbia). Interests: Social History of Jews in Antiquity; Palestinian Archaeology and Epigraphy;

Historiography; Apocalypticism.

17 Deborah Steiner (John Jay Professor of Greek and Latin, Columbia). B.A. Harvard

1982; M.Litt. Oxford 1984; Ph.D. Berkeley 1991. Interests: Archaic Greek poetry;

Greek lyric; Greek mythology and the visual arts. Karen Van Dyck (Kimon A. Doukas Professor of Hellenic Studies, Columbia). B.A. Wesleyan 1983; M.A. Aristotelian (Greece) 1985; D.Phil. Oxford 1990. Interests: Comparative literature (French, German, Ancient Greek, Modern Greek); literary theory; modernity and modernism; poetics; secular criticism; contemporary music. Katja Vogt (Professor of Philosophy, Columbia). M.A. 1992 and Ph.D. Munich 1996. Interests: Ancient philosophy, especially stoicism, skepticism, and ethics. Katharina Volk (Professor of Classics, Columbia). M.A. Munich 1994; M.A. Princeton

1996; Ph.D. Princeton 1999. Interests: Latin literature, esp. of the late Republican

and early Imperial periods, Roman philosophy, intellectual history. Gareth Williams (Violin Family Professor of Classics, Columbia). B.A. Cambridge 1986; Ph.D. Cambridge 1990. Interests: Classical Latin poetry, especially elegy; Silver Latin poetry; Senecan prose. Nancy Worman (Professor of Classics, Barnard). A.B. Barnard 1987; M.A. Princeton

1991; Ph.D. Princeton 1994. Interests: Greek poetry and oratory, ancient rhetoric and

literary criticism, and literary theory. 18